COVID19 & Gloves You May Not Be Using Them Properly

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3. Tossing and Reusing Gloves

If you do wear gloves, and you do not throw them away after every use, you can potentially cause cross-contamination. Gloves are not meant to be reused. They can contaminate other objects, surfaces, and even yourself.

Gloves are meant to be disposable. I is not recommended to sanitize gloves and keep using them.

The single most important way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is by washing your hands for 20 seconds with warm and soapy water. Hands should be washed before and after gloves are put on your hands.

2. Do Not Use Hand Sanitizer on Gloves

If you are wearing your gloves out in public and use the restroom, should you wash the gloves? Or maybe apply hand sanitizer? Winston states that you should absolutely not “share, wash or disinfect gloves”.

Gloves are meant to be disposable. Using hand sanitizer on gloves could cause the glove to tear or rip, which could allow the virus to reach your skin. Unless the gloves are specifically designed to be sanitized, only use them once.

Double gloving is a great idea. Wear two pairs of gloves, and peel off the top layer to reveal a new pair underneath. This is better than reusing gloves.

1. Proper Glove Use and Disposal

Wearing gloves improperly is more dangerous than not wearing gloves because it might give you a false sense of protection, and you may not wash your hands as often as you would without gloves. There are some important steps to take to use gloves safely:

Always wash your hands before you put new gloves on.

Make sure the gloves fit properly. Sharp objects can puncture gloves easily if the gloves are not properly fitted.

Change the gloves anytime there is a tear or rip.

Remove the gloves from wrist to finger.

Dispose of the glove immediately.

Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.

Gloves should always be worn when you will be coming in contact with any bodily fluids. Gloves should be the last item put on and the first item removed. Any objects that you touched with your gloves should be disinfected.

If you go grocery shopping with your gloves on, you should take the gloves off before you enter your car.

Regardless of where you are going, for the general public, it is recommended to not wear gloves. Instead, the priority should be focused on washing your hands and not touching your face.

If you are insistent on wearing gloves, do not touch your face while wearing the gloves. And make sure to always wash your hands before and after using the gloves.

The bottom line: gloves are not needed for the general public. Hand washing is the most critical defense against the novel coronavirus.